"Ugiuvaŋmiuraaqtuaksrat"
Future King Island Speakers

A
PROJECT
Presented to the Faculty
Of the University of Alaska Fairbanks
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
For the Degree of
MASTER OF EDUCATION
BY
Bernadette Yaayuk Alvanna-Stimpfle
University of Alaska, Fairbanks
April, 2007

ABSTRACT

Just the older population of the King Island people can speak Inupiaq
language fluently. The young people and children do not. In between the generations
there is a gradual movement from speaking fluently to not understanding
the language. There is a need to strengthen King Island Inupiaq. With this
in
mind, the purpose of this work is studying how other indigenous people
have successfully revitalized their heritage language. They have fostered intergenerational
learning of the heritage language through various ways. Based on this information,
this project is an adaptation of “Inupiaq Phrases and Conversations” by
Lawrence Kaplan and Lorena Williams in the Kotzebue dialect. I have adapted
it to King Island Inupiaq as the two dialects have some differences though
we can understand and converse with each other. The Inupiaq lessons are
based on traditional cultural values and guiding principles.